Meet My Characters! Dan Atherton, Part II

Dan Atherton
(Two years ago)

I grew lost in my thoughts. The fantasy of what might have been haunts me. Her eyes had been still like the night, beckoning me for answers I didn’t have. In a flash, she drifted farther from me until I could no longer reach for her. And no matter how hard I strained my ears, I couldn’t hear her beautiful sounds any longer. The silence swarming around me began to strangle me slowly.

The tender touch of her tiny fingers had faded from my memory by now. The fever started to run through my body like I’d never felt before. Was she thinking of me at this same moment? So fragile in my arms, she was too young still. She couldn’t possibly know my face by heart or look up at the empty doorway in the hopes to find me there each morning. My little baby girl, she’d never know how much I searched for her face everywhere I would go. Or understand the sleepless nights that took over, when I dared not stop watching the front door.

I sat in the darkness of the early morning hours, just waiting. The redness invaded my eyes, sweat beaded across my cheeks as I waited in despair. If I closed my eyes for a mere second, I could already see her mother towering over me. Mora’s knuckles would be clenched until white, her lips sealed in her bitterness. Without any words, I could already feel her hatred passing over me like dark clouds before a hard rainstorm. Just look at you. Look at how pathetic you are.

Mora. She’d never let me forget what I desperately wanted to leave behind. Her shrill voice was recorded forever in my mind. The pulsing fear of seeing her again paralyzed me. For days and then weeks, I couldn’t step outside my front door. Her poison ran through my veins with a lasting effect. Broken glass and the stink of spilled beer and milk still lay scattered across my living room. My entire house stayed dark and frozen from their last visit, completely unmoved by time. What the hell kind of father are you? Every time I glanced at the far wall, I could watch Mora slamming her right hand across the wooden table, sending everything crashing down to the floor. My mouth didn’t seem to work, I couldn’t form the right words before she took my daughter away for the last time.

Fuck it. Fuck it. I opened my refrigerator, sweeping my arms back and forth on the two frosted shelves. Whatever sad jars, bottles, and takeout containers were left standing got wiped out. I fell on my ass on the cold tiles, knocking the back of my head on the cabinets behind me.

I’m no father, I never should’ve been. The words resonated so naturally through every inch of my body, there was no denying it. The hope of what could’ve been left long ago. The only thing that remains is survival. My legs fumbled beneath me, and I awkwardly stumbled onto my feet. I snatched open the freezer, grabbing the ice-covered glass neck sticking out of the icebox. Not much time passed before I found myself in a daze, slowing drifting in and out of consciousness.

My baby drifted far from thought, her face became a blur. I was not her father. I was nothing more than Dan.

Meet My Characters!

Susanna Page

The cold snows of bitter winter were nothing next to the past two years of servitude. Even as Susanna stood there towering over the old woman’s dead body, she felt nothing but the same numbness she had every day spent with her. The same expression of discontent frozen on her still face, even her arms appeared clenched closely to her body. And every detail of her hair, the familiar blue cotton dress, and heavy brown shoes seemed meticulously planned, as if the caretaker had sensed she would somehow be watching her own memorial service.

And was she watching now? A cruel chill embraced her at the idea, but indeed it seemed possible. Certainly the old woman’s expectations of her own funeral were not met today. Susanna was already swimming in the same feeling of failure and hopelessness as she looked around the room.

Susanna stood hovering a few moments longer, feeling certain she would sit up and snatch her wrist, shouting, “What have you done!” She could already feel the clammy hand on her, the same piercing, cold touch the old woman had in life. Susanna stumbled back quickly, of course, just in case. With no further delay, she snuck her way out through the side door.

It was those cruel, black eyes that frightened her since she was a child. Relentless and unforgiving, they followed her everywhere, she could just feel it. Where are you going? What are you trying to do now? No matter how far she went, the old woman always could pull her right back to her side. Rather a disappointment than a daughter, she had mocked. Then mocked Susanna more with each passing year.

Too much sunlight blinds her still, being kept up in the dark fortress she longed to leave and never return – time and time again. Everything was quite as she had left it, the same lace-lined curtains hung uniformly on all of the windows and each floor draped in shaggy, coffee brown carpets. Light beamed in the main living area in the afternoon, but had filled Susanna with detest. Her days were often spent like when she was a child, reading her books in the dark, damp basement. A haven of as much peace and solitude as she could manage, it was the one place the old woman did not follow. But the sound of her cane banged through the floor, her shrill screams brought great dread.

STAY TUNED AS THIS MYSTERIOUS TALE UNRAVELS ...

Meet My Characters!

Enjoy my third character feature for Meet My Characters! Want to find out what's going to happen? Are you wondering more and more about his past? Stay tuned for more to come ...

Dan Atherton

The growing warmth enveloping his chest awoke him. Shaking off his sleepiness, Dan twisted the air vent just above his head, allowing more cool air to blow in his face. He reached up to his tie, jerking it loose from his sweating neck. A large sigh escaped his lips gradually. Pressing his eyelids together, he wished he was in New York by now.

A soft, little figure graced his fingers as he dipped his right hand inside his suit pocket. He smiled slightly to himself as he pulled it out and placed it into his right palm. Covered in pink fuzziness, it was just the size of a quarter. Loosely attached to the back was a silver clothes pin, which had gotten a little tarnished over the years. He could still remember the day she placed it in his hands. It had only been a brief moment shared between them with few words to say. Not a feeling of sadness or the realization had hit him that this could be the last time he would see her. It was difficult to recall, what day was it, what were his last words? Did his little girl cry as he left? The ferocious words from Mora were the only thing that never left him.

He slipped the little trinket back into his pocket as the flight attendant stopped the drink cart right next to his seat. Sitting back up, he managed a smile in her direction. No doubt a very attractive woman, he admitted, his attention fully taken by her presence. Looking closely for a couple seconds, he realized she was just a kid, maybe 21 years old.

“Good mornin’ to ya!” The young girl’s affable greeting was quite overdone, her Irish accent sharper than he had expected at first. She tucked a couple tendrils of red hair behind her ear. “Somethin’ to drink?”

Dan hesitated, taking his time to consider it. His mouth was expectedly dry from his long slumber. Something to drink, perhaps, before I have to meet them at the gate. His mouth opened for a split second, but then he changed his mind. Second chances, he said to himself. This is the only one you get. “No. Um, no thank you.” He smiled again, and then looked away towards the uncovered window as she moved on to the next row of passengers.

Until now, he hadn’t thought of the looming meeting he’d have with Mora. Her heart held no forgiveness, not for him. Her face appeared in his mind, he saw her eyes narrow down at him. Nothing could possibly matter to her, not what he had been through or the things he wished he could take back. “Nobody can really change,” she said to him more times than he could remember.

“I changed my mind,” Dan grabbed the stewardess’ arm gently. “I’d like a few Absolut.” Falling into his lingering gaze, she traded a small handful of miniature bottles for the folded cash he offered to her.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Meet My Characters!

This is the second featured story for Meet My Characters. Stay tuned to find out what happens next!

Lana Willow

More than a dozen Lucky Lotto! tickets lay fanned out on the table in front of Lana. Her fingers rummaged the stack as her eyes checked each series of numbers. This is it, she thought. My lucky day. It has to be.

The clock read 4:50 pm. It wasn't time just yet. She stepped up off the futon, pulling her jacket tighter around the front. Lynn could be home soon, but she could never be certain anymore. They didn't spend much time together lately, not since Michael's farewell a few months ago. That night changed a lot of things, and now they seemed like strangers to one another.

In a quick pace, Lana entered the kitchen and flicked the light switch up. Without further thought, she snatched up a warm Diet Pepsi can and a bag of Saltines. Snapping open the package, she pushed a short stack of crackers onto a small plate. Each one was smeared with a glob of butter and arranged side by side. Grabbing up her snack, she strode back to the living room with only a minute or so to spare.

Settling into her usual spot, she gingerly placed the plate of crackers and the worn remote control next to her on the futon cushion. Seconds ticked a little slow, her mind was overcome with growing anxiety. This week would be different. For more paydays than she could count, the other tickets were duds. It had to be her time to win by now.

The top news stories blared in the TV screen, she chewed on her fingernails to pass the time. The outside lights grew dim as sunset approached. The darkness surrounding the room did not seem to grab her attention. In small motions, she sipped her soda a couple times. Her back straightened up as soon as the plunky keyboard music came on for the Lucky Lotto. The flashy lights glowing in her eyes, she reached out for the tickets before her.

"Today's Lucky Lotto numbers are," the announcer paused in anticipation, "12...49...1...7...50...33..." He raised his eyebrows, grinning with eagerness in creating a slight moment of suspense. "And, folks, the final winning number is 19."

Lana's eyes darted left to right as she grabbed each ticket, picking through the numbers quickly and in caution. With her heart pounding and fingers numbing in the excitement, her eyes fell upon the ticket at the far end.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

Meet My Characters!

NEW! My blog will feature a special section dedicated to new characters called Meet My Characters! Each posting will be an excerpt of a character's story - be sure to check back to find out what happens next.

Ana Maria Vega

Ana forcefully dumped the chef salad into the garbage. Her arms locked as she grabbed the edge of the counter top. Moisture clouded her eyes, she tried to blink it away quickly. It wasn't the angry woman who bothered her more, she admitted. Everything else around her seemed to be slipping out of her grasp.

She jerked the ties of her apron, pulling tight. Looking up once again, Ana sucked in a full breath of steamy air from the kitchen, pushing down her frustration with her might. "What do you like?" She spoke with all the composure she could muster.

"I want the turkey swiss sandwich," a young blonde woman spoke as she illustrated with large hand gestures. "No tomato or mayonnaise," she announced loudly. Her glance was met awkwardly by Ana, who was used to this treatment. She didn't even bother to verbally acknowledge her, keeping her head down to her work. First the bread topped quickly with a handful of turkey slices and lettuce. Ana pressed the top bread slice on top, using her left hand to guide the knife diagonally down the sandwich. Paper wrapping was guided around the product, bagged and slapped onto the counter in haste. "Next," she firmly called out.

Another woman stepped up towards the counter, pulling her black peach-shaped sunglasses down from her face. Her big, round eyes intently looked forward, her hands left calmly by her sides. A white, wool coat draped around her slender figure, allowing a few extra inches of a bright red skirt to show. She stood in great confidence and grace, and her flawless skin glowed under the fluorescent lights. Ana instantly felt stirred by the sight, staring back into the woman's deep brown eyes.

It had been years since, but Ana knew the traces of her smile quite vividly. In the few moments of silence that stood between them, she looked upon her in search of the right words to say. The time had come and gone for her to say the things she had much longed to speak to her.

TO BE CONTINUED ...